


Gray Area

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Just changed a detail, Post-Episode: s16e23 Lost Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-06 01:06:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18840508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Ellie asks two questions."Do you really think that?""Would you ever consider it?"Nick answers.





	Gray Area

**Author's Note:**

> I literally only wrote the beginning because I wanted so bad for Ellie to come up from behind 😆  
> I know Ellie wouldn't react like that but I just had to!

Keeping the smile on his face while this lady seriously tried to seduce him into coming with her so he didn't arrest her wasn't hard. While he was pissed as hell that she tricked him and flaunted it literally right in his face, he was more amused then anything. He'd rather run away with Ellie's ex-husband, and _that_ was saying something as he hated the guys guts even though they've never met.   
  
His amusement only rose as Ellie and McGee appeared behind her in case she tried to run, and Ellie looked downright _pissed_.   
  
Nick tried not to think about why she was so angry at what was taking place, now wasn't the time for his hopeful rising thoughts.   
  
“You know-” Ellie snapped. “-That whole seducing trick will only work for so long even with a bunch of plastic surgery.” Ellie grabbed onto her arms, yanking them behind her back roughly as McGee put the cuffs on her. “Or I could just do you the favor now by _knocking your teeth out_.”   
  
Nick's eyes widened at her hissed threat, McGee coughed to cover his laugh finding the situation highly amusing.   
  
_Well fuck that was hot_ Nick thought, following wordlessly as they turned and left.  
  
And if Ellie shoved her into the car a little too roughly, neither of them said a word.   
  


* * *

  
Hours later they sat in the waiting room at the hospital, the thoughts of sleeping that they had been looking forward to being the last thing on their minds. All of them wasted no time in rushing to the hospital.   
  
They were waiting for Gibbs to come back with news about what in the hell was going on, and McGee had walked off down the hall to check in with Delilah.   
  
Which left them two alone.   
  
For a bit neither of them said a word, but Ellie was the one to break it.  
  
“Nick?”  
  
“Hm?” He turned his head in her direction.   
  
Ellie looked around before leaning in a little closer, her voice low almost a whisper. “About the whole..Gibbs thing..do you really think that? That you'd do exactly the same thing?”  
  
Nick's body tensed up. “Why are we talking about this again Ellie? We need to leave it alone.”  
  
“I just-” She breathed out a frustrated sigh. “I know the feeling of wanting revenge, I had my own..moment..but the way Gibbs went about it-”  
  
“Ellie.” Nick said firmly but his voice soft. “What's done is done, you thinking about it isn't gonna change what was already done and over with years ago. But yes, I meant what I said.” Her eyes widened. “Grief, pain, loss..Gibbs lost the two people who meant the world to him and there was nothing he could do about it. His world was destroyed, so he did the one thing he thought would hopefully relieve some of the pain. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying I understand and know if I lost someone especially _two_ people who meant that much to me..I wouldn't even hesitate.”   
  
Ellie looked at him with wet eyes, the emotion in his voice even just talking about Gibbs’ pain like he felt it all himself, it was hard not to feel choked up.   
  
His words echoed in her head. _I wouldn't even hesitate._  
  
“Life isn't just black and white Ellie.” He mumbled, looking away from her to stare forward. “I know you know that, so how about instead of trying to decide which category to fit the situation, you settle for a gray area. It's obvious telling us is affecting Gibbs, but he's still the same Gibbs. You've known him for six years, don't start treating him or thinking of him differently just ‘cause you know things now.”   
  
Ellie swallowed the emotions rising in her throat. “I'm not..I'm not good with the gray area of things. Black and white is safe it's logical-”  
  
Nick glanced over at McGee to make sure he wasn't facing them before grabbing her hand, holding it softly in his own. For a moment he thought of how small her hand seemed in his before shaking it away.   
  
“I know.” He ran his thumb along the back of her hand. “But if you ever wanna move on from this, you need to shove it in the gray and leave it there.”  
  
“And..about you saying you wouldn't hesitate to do the same?” She asked a little carefully.   
  
“I don't know, guess it depends on how you feel about it. Does it make me a bad person?” She shook her head. “Does it change your opinion on me?” She shook her head again.  
  
“No, even if maybe it should.”  
  
He nodded, looking away again and taking his hand from hers. It signaled the end of their conversation.   
  
They instead watched McGee, it being obvious from the smile on his face and stance that he was talking to the twins over the phone, most likely listening to their not yet english babbling.   
  
Again Ellie was the one to break the silence. “So..would you ever consider it?” Nick looked at her confused. She bit her lip. “Escaping..running away with someone.”  
  
Nick stared at her, his eyes shifting with an intense look as he kept his eyes on hers.   
  
“Yes.”   
  
Her breath hitched, the unspoken _with you_ hanging in the air. There was a swooping in her stomach at the look he was giving her.   
  
Ellie's lips curved into a smile before it disappeared. She didn't break eye contact as she responded.  
  
“Me too.”  
  
“You sure about that?” Nick asked, his voice low and rough making a shiver run through her.   
  
“Positive.” She said firmly.   
  
His lips twitched, his eyes dropping to her lips for a second making her swallow down the whimper of _want_ that flowed through her at such a simple action.   
  
_Not the time or place Ellie_ she scolded herself.   
  
Nick licked his lips before finally looking away, leaning back in his chair. Ellie tried to control her breathing, her thoughts and heart racing.  
  
As McGee came back, Nick stretched his arms out so they were draped along her chair and the empty one on his other side, scooching back into his chair so it looked as if he was just getting relaxed.   
  
All the while hand hidden from view, his fingers traced along her neck and the slight skin on the top of her back that her shirt revealed. He showed nothing on his face, something she cursed as she tried her hardest not to lean into his touch that was so small but didn't fail to make her heart jump.  
  
Ellie wonders fleetingly as Gibbs walks towards them that maybe that gray area also fits her and Nick, there was the good combined in them and the bad, but also something in between that she had yet to figure out completely. 


End file.
